Pump or autoloading shotgun for home defense?

[11Z50]

For sure pump for me. It is a safe system that you can bring into play while half asleep. Chamber clear, mag full, OFF SAFE. This is important since once you rack the slide, you don't want to have to fumble with a safety. The clear chamber and your trigger finger are the best safeties.

Personally, I have several 870s in various configurations, and a Mossberg "Cruiser" for HD. The last kid in the house is 15 and a confirmed shotty guy. We practice regularly and he is familiar with all the HD weapons. My SOP is to have at least one HD pump shotty at the ready, chamber clear, mag loaded w/oo buck, off safe. I live out in a rural area so it will be quite awhile before LE can get to us.

[rg_1111@yahoo.com]

I voted for the pump more reliability.

[DrjonesUSA]

Pump; I'm pretty sure jam clearance is a lot easier (WHAT jams?) on a pump, than on a semi.

You can short-stroke a pump.

They are reliable, but nothing is 100%.

Regarding the original question, I keep a pump for home defense but want to upgrade to an auto as soon as I can.

The auto I'm looking at has a greater capacity than my current pump, is a very reliable gun, and can fire as fast as you can pull the trigger.

A pump will simply never be as fast as the best autos, and I feel they are more fool-proof in a stressful situation.

Under stress, you well could short-stroke, forget to pump, etc. Not a problem with an auto: just point and click until your needs are met.

I think autos are a better choice for HD, so I voted auto.

[cseabass]

honestly, i prefer an auto(based on what i have used) i have had 2 pumps(870PM and a hk fabarm fp6) lock up on me, never had an auto jam, just short stroke, and its fairly easy to clear and make ready.

as for the sound of a pump... i would prefer the intruder not know i have a gun.

i have drawn down on an intruder in my house with my m1s90, he was a drunk guy who stumbled into the wrong house. he pissed himself(litterally) after that i helped him get home. he came over the next day and appologized and thanked me for not shooting him. he and i talk on a regular basis now, hell weve even been out shootin together.

point is, while my grandmother was in the front room panicing, my shotgun was chambered and ready to go, the shear supprise from the guy, he saw me round the corner of my hall leveled and he froze. if i racked a pump, that would have given him some thinking time... no thanx.

[DANGERCLOSE]

i like pump action in comparison to auto. i think both work equally as well. although with less-lethal rounds which wont cycle autos, i have twice been presented with a double load/feed on the rem 870 @ work. after i fired and went to rack the next one, the thrid round followed the second one onto the lifter. i threw it down and grabbed something else. i have also read about another documented incident like mine. i own a moss 590a1 and i know that it wouldnt have happened because of the anti-jam lifter that the mossberg has. as for home-d, m590a1.

[AJAX22]

I have a few shotguns, mostly older pumps

winchester 97
ithica 37
stevens 520
I enjoy older WWII trench gun replicas made out of real vintage guns.

I've never had a jam or short stroke with my ithica, its the most reliable gun I've ever owned and if you only had one thing for home defense, I'd reccomend an ithica 37.

I have a remmington 11 auto stuffer, which I haven't yet played with, but just from handeling it at the store, I have to say that in the event of a FTF or a jam, it would be more difficult to clear and I wouldn't be able to maintain firing position.

autoloaders tend to be pickeyer about the loads you cram into them. pumps just work, some better than others true, but low quality anything is a poor choice for home defence.

[cseabass]

I have a few shotguns, mostly older pumps

winchester 97
ithica 37
stevens 520
I enjoy older WWII trench gun replicas made out of real vintage guns.

I've never had a jam or short stroke with my ithica, its the most reliable gun I've ever owned and if you only had one thing for home defense, I'd reccomend an ithica 37.

I have a remmington 11 auto stuffer, which I haven't yet played with, but just from handeling it at the store, I have to say that in the event of a FTF or a jam, it would be more difficult to clear and I wouldn't be able to maintain firing position.

autoloaders tend to be pickeyer about the loads you cram into them. pumps just work, some better than others true, but low quality anything is a poor choice for home defence.

i have a remmington m11 riot gun my grandfather got(military issue model) and i love it, its no benelli but for its age, its a decent weapon. out of my shotguns, its my 3rd fav(behind 2 benellis)

[AJAX22]

CseaBass - where are you located at? we should meet at a range sometime, I've always wanted to feel what a m11 felt like with a chopped down barrel, (its the reason I bought mine, it just turned out to be too nice) You can play with mine if I can try yours

[rkt88edmo]

Should probably have an option to vote for "it doesn't matter."

Pumps can have operator errors and autos can have mechanical errors. Train with what you want ot use to reduce the chance of either and have fun

[sthornwall]

I vote pump action. I just love the sound it makes.....CLICK CLACK!!

[Jason_R]

Depends...I voted bump because I love my Benelli M1s90, and it's reliable as any pump.

If you had a hunting auto shotgun, I would not use it unless it was my last resort...

Any pump or auto shotty w/ a barrel length of 18-20" and a short stock would be fine.

[Socal858]

benelli supernova


honestly its what you practice with, as long as its good equipment. if you are accustomed and know what loads to use to not experience jams/FTE, then whats the problem? it is all a means to the end, for scaring the crap out of a burglar or plugging some buck into a murderous psychopath

[cseabass]

CseaBass - where are you located at? we should meet at a range sometime, I've always wanted to feel what a m11 felt like with a chopped down barrel, (its the reason I bought mine, it just turned out to be too nice) You can play with mine if I can try yours

im in livermore, the gun doesnt kick very hard at all, but then i have been told by others it does. my grandfather had an adjustable choke attatched, i despise it. but, its still a decent functioning weapon, i could/would trust my life to it if i didnt have my benellis.


i just got my benelli m4 too! some range time would be nice.

[11Z50]

Update on Supermag project

I just got an extra supermag barrel from Remington, a 22" VR. My plan is to use this one for hunting and general use. I took the 26" in to a local shop and had the barrel shortened to 18 1/2", straight tube, no choke. The endstate will be an 870 Supermag, Knox Spec Ops stock, 18 1/2" VR barrel that will blow the hell out just about anything with the 3 1/2" 18 pellet 00B load. I will post pics when I get it complete.

How does this apply to this thread? I don't know, other than can anybody do that with an SA shotty?

[vwsergio]

I would go with a pump to easy to send a second shot out in error in an auto